Nation

Too long a wait for inter-airport rail shuttle

In transit: A visitor passing through a ticket turnstile at the ERL terminus at KLIA2.

SEPANG: Although it takes just three minutes for the Express Rail Link (ERL) to cover the distance from KLIA to KLIA2 and vice-versa, waiting for a train could take up to 20 minutes, and in some cases, up to 30 minutes.

At best, the wait is not less than 15 minutes, even during peak hours, which Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd defines as 6-9am and 4-10pm on Mondays to Fridays.

For “off peak” hours, which are 5-6am, 9am-4pm, and 10pm to midnight on Mondays to Fridays, as well as Saturdays and Sundays, the wait becomes 20 minutes.

If you take one after midnight, the wait is 30 minutes.

Still, those who caught the inter-airport shuttle during daytime were satisfied.

“It’s quite convenient to use the ERL to get from one airport to the other except if you’re in a hurry to catch a flight,” said Rajesh Kumar.

The 31-year-old tourist, who was returning to India yesterday, was unaware that his Malindo flight was departing from KLIA2 and he resorted to the ERL.

“We didn’t know there was another KLIA,” said the businessman who arrived in Malaysia on March 28 at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT).

Passengers who were unaware of the opening of KLIA2 on Friday had to scramble to get from one airport to another, with some missing their flights.

Bangladeshi Arif Mamuddin, 32, was also one of those who had to hurry from KLIA to KLIA2.

“Fortunately, the airport staff were very kind and they told me get on the train to KLIA2,” he said.

Fairus Badran said authorities should shorten the waiting period for trains, especially during peak hours.

“The wait is a bit too long,” said the 33-year-old office assistant, who nonetheless conceded that it was easy to shuttle from airport to airport as there were adequate signages.

It takes 33 minutes for the train to travel from KL Sentral to KLIA2 (including a two-minute stop at KLIA) and vice-versa.